No Limits
by mjkruz
Summary: AU: Piper Chapman is ready to start her own family, her own way. However, never did she expect to fall in love AFTER getting herself pregnant. How will her actions decide the rest of her life?
1. Chapter 1

AN: Hey guys! Obviously this is my first story on here and I'm testing out the waters with this story that hasn't left my mind for the past few days. Please review and let me know if I should continue or not. I'm not too happy with how this first chapter turned out and it's a little too short for my liking but it's something. (Of course, I own nothing Orange related). - MJ

* * *

Piper Chapman always grew up being told that life was about finding the perfect man, falling in love, and starting a family together, preferably in that exact order. Her mother, Carol Chapman, always reminded her that life was about appearances and one should only care about what others envied about her. Whenever she had thought about starting her own family she had never pictured it like this, alone in a doctor's office waiting for some stranger's sperm to be inserted into her uterus.

She was days away from her 30th birthday and she had all but given up on finding her "someone to settle down with" as her mother would call it. Fact is, she didn't want someone to just settle down with. No, she wanted adventure and love and yeah maybe she was a little naïve to ever want that but she didn't care. This lack of love and passion in her life is what led her to start her own family, her own way.

Not once growing up did she imagine becoming a single mother seeing as how she was simply so far off from being part of a perfect family to even consider bringing her own children to the mix. She had spent months wondering and going over the idea of artificial insemination to start her family and although the baby would have no dad she couldn't escape the notion that she was meant to be a mother. She knew that to be a fact and she didn't want to wait any longer and take the chance that maybe, _just maybe,_ her prince (or princess because who was she kidding she knew she had a preference for both sexes even if she never stated it loud and clear) would show up and they would get their shit together fast enough to start a family before her biological clock called time on her window for baby making. So it was that conclusion that pushed her to make the call to her doctor and OB/GYN months ago to start her routine of fertility drugs to increase her chances of becoming pregnant. She was definitely excited and when she approached her best-friend Polly on the idea she was a bit skeptical to say the least.

* * *

" _You need me to do what?" Polly asked, looking over the stack of files Piper had dropped onto the coffee table._

 _Piper looked up from the file she was currently going over and looked to her best friend and replied with barely controlled excitement. "I need you, my best friend in the entire world, to help me pick out the lucky sperm donor to my future child!"_

" _See that's what I thought you said which brings me to my next question. Piper Elizabeth Chapman… ARE YOU CRAZY?" Polly slammed the file in Piper's hands onto the table and gave her friend a pointed look. Piper had to stop herself from rolling her eyes at her best friend's dramatics, instead choosing to look her straight in the eyes._

" _Polly I'm not crazy. I'm not. But I am almost 30 years old with no husband, let alone an actual love life of any kind and no family of my own. You on the other hand have Pete and Finn, the perfect family." She paused finally feeling somewhat nervous about her friend genuinely thinking of this as a bad idea. "I don't know…I just want that for myself I guess. Besides Popi, I have nothing to call my own really, and even that I share with you. I know it sounds selfish and maybe it is but you know better than anyone else that I've always been a little self-centered."_

 _Polly looked at her as if she was trying to pinpoint exactly when Piper had lost her mind. She knew the idea sounded crazy to her friend, and probably her family too when they found out, but Piper wasn't looking for approval. She wanted their unwavering support, or at the very least, Polly's very judgmental yet unwavering support. Finally she just couldn't take the silence and spoke up. "Look Polly, you're my best friend and it would mean the world to me if you helped me out with this. I want my own family. I want my own baby. I want someone who gives my life meaning. I want the long tiring days that feel so fulfilling when you take a step back and think about them. I want to know what it's like to wake up and provide for someone other than myself." Piper knew she was rambling by this point but she just couldn't stop herself. "I want the feeling of something so precious growing inside of me. I want to feel what so many other women out there, including you, have gone through. This is what I want Polly and so help me God if you don't get your judgmental WASPy ass on board with me on this I am taking all future godmother duties away from you and I will find someone else."_

 _For the first time since she explained what was going on, Polly gave the smallest of smiles and sighed, pulling up the nearest file. "So what kind of sperm-giver are we picking for my future godchild?"_

" _Oh my god! Thank you, thank you!" She was once again bouncing up and down with excitement. Her best friend was on board and she felt a huge weight lift off her shoulders at the idea of someone else besides her knowing about her plan._

 _Reaching over and placing her hands over her best-friends she looked towards her. "Seriously Pol, thank you. Really. You have no idea how much this means to me."_

" _Yeah well, you're my best friend idiot. No way you're going through this experience by yourself." She paused, looking over at Piper and seeing just how happy her friend was she couldn't help but chuckle to herself. "So are we going with the obvious blonde haired, blue-eyed baby daddy or what?"_

 _At this Piper really had to roll her eyes and explain. "He's not the baby daddy Pol. He won't be involved and he won't know this baby exists. He's simply donating his sperm to the greater good of motherhood. Besides, I was actually hoping to find one with green eyes or brown...maybe darker hair? I don't know but something in me is pushing me to make sure this baby is not your typical Chapman. We have enough of those in this world. I want him or her to be their own person who is not defined by looks or family like I was, or still am actually. If nothing else, I want this baby to be different than the usual Chapman stereotype." She finished with a huff at the thought of her parents or lineage having any lasting negative effect on her child._

" _Alright there mama bear calm down," laughed Polly. "Let's look over what we have and find you the perfect baby. Aside from physical looks of course." Piper looked away sheepishly and nodded her head not fully trusting herself from getting overly excited again._

* * *

That day in her living room with Polly now seemed so long ago and she couldn't help but smile at the idea of her best friend getting just as excited as she was at the prospect of having her own baby that she could love unconditionally. She was getting nervous waiting for the doctor to walk in but thankfully she didn't have to wait much longer before she walked in.

"Ah, Miss Chapman, today's the day isn't it. Are we ready?" Her doctor, Dr. Gomez, was a relatively young doctor, 26 (she had asked before she stop herself, blaming her foot-in-mouth disease, when she first met her afraid of her being too young to possibly be out of medical school yet), and definitely attractive with long brown hair that reached below the shoulders and light brown eyes that danced with happiness, no doubt from the love of her job, and a soft face that instantly helped Piper relax. She couldn't help but smile instantly and she hoped her face wasn't as flushed as she felt at the moment. Before she could contemplate a response however, her doctor continued.

"You know, I was a little surprised to see you on my list so soon but it looks like you've been following your vitamin routine to the letter and you were able to find a donor relatively quick so, really, it shouldn't surprise me too much." She chuckled at this and Piper couldn't help the slight blush that lit up her face instantly.

"Well you know me, why put this off any longer it's not like I'm getting any younger." She replied with a slight nervous giggle that definitely betrayed just how nervous she was about this whole ordeal. Her doctor of course took note of this.

"Where's your best-friend today?" she asked looking around the room thinking she had missed her when she walked in. "I thought you would have some company for this big day today." Polly had accompanied Piper on all her appointments and check-ups after she confessed her plans for a baby, insisting that this whole process, no matter how different, meant she needed someone in her corner at all times enjoying it with her and supporting her.

"She couldn't make it today, her Finny came down with the flu and she's on nursing duty until it clears up but hopefully the next time she comes with me will be in two to three weeks when we find out this worked and I'm pregnant!" she definitely couldn't help her smile and excitement at the prospect. Dr. Gomez gave her a slight chuckle before she explained how the next hour or so would proceed and how the donor sperm she had selected would be injected into a catheter which would then be inserted through her cervix and into her uterus. Hopefully, after all that, she would find out if she was expecting in as little as a couple of weeks.

Piper knew it did her no good to get her hopes up and yet she couldn't help herself. She was giddy with excitement at knowing that soon, _maybe_ , she would be carrying her baby and starting the whole process of shopping for clothes and baby essentials and transforming her apartment into baby central. After months of vitamins and ovulation tests she was getting closer to her dream of becoming a mother and she couldn't for the life of her stop smiling. Not even when she felt the coldness of the tube enter her or even when she realized that she was definitely exposed in front of the very attractive doctor who kept talking to her as if nothing. Not even when she was sent out the door with pamphlets on how to take care of her body for the following weeks did she stop smiling. She was smiling so much and planning out the following nine months in her mind that she didn't notice the tall figure stepping out of the cab that she was trying to climb into until it was too late and she was slamming head first onto the other stranger, effectively knocking her into the present time.

"What the _fuck_." Piper could swear she had never heard a more soothing sound before even if the voice was filled with irritation and annoyance. She was in a trance and looking up into bright emerald eyes shielded behind thick librarian glasses did nothing to help her snap out of it. She must have looked strange seemingly glued to the sidewalk with a dazed look on her face because suddenly the voice was no longer speaking with annoyance but instead with mild concern and confusion at the fact that Piper was not moving or reacting.

"Umm…are you okay lady?" _God that voice._ Piper had died and gone to heaven she was sure of it. She snapped out of it long enough to look into eyes filled with concern for her state of being and she had to clear her throat before speaking.

"Oh! Yes…sorry. I wasn't paying attention. Sorry. Um…I should be asking you. Are you okay? Oh god. I didn't hit you too hard did I. Oh no. I'm so sorry. I…" Piper was effectively cut off from her rambling when she heard a low chuckle escape the other woman and if Piper thought she had heard sexy before, boy was she wrong. She didn't even care that it was at her expense that this woman was laughing, all she knew was that she didn't want the moment to end and she wanted to hear more.

"Relax kid. I'm fine, although I should probably be concerned for you. It almost looks like you got hit in the head and have a concussion from that far away look on your face." There was that chuckle again and oh god, no smirk had ever looked so sexy before.

"What? No...no I'm fine thank you. I just need to pay more attention is all." She was trying so hard not to stare at this point but a part of her knew she was failing miserably. As if that ever present smirk on the other woman's face wasn't hint enough of her blatant staring. She couldn't help herself. If she thought her doctor was attractive, this stranger was drop dead beautiful. She was definitely tall and had an athletic build to her, if her toned arms were of any indication, with tattoos visible from under the rolled up sleeves of the dark grey v-neck that showed off a cleavage that left little to the imagination.

Yeah, her doctor had nothing on this woman.

"Well...if you ask me it would be totally rude of myself to let someone as striking as yourself walk off alone when there's danger of a concussion." If the other woman's smirk was anything to go off of, Piper knew what was coming and she found herself not minding one bit. "So why don't you let me keep you company until we know you're in the clear. Maybe join me for a cup of coffee?"

Piper couldn't help the smile forming on her face even if she tried to fight it off. Never before had someone grabbed a hold of her attention so easily or made her feel as warm as she did when she looked into those emerald eyes. She barely even knew this woman, heck she didn't even know her name, yet Piper knew she wasn't someone she wanted to walk away from. So with that thought in mind she looked at the older woman's smug face and nodded her reply.

"I guess one cup of coffee couldn't hurt. We need to make sure there's no lasting effects after all." Piper had no idea where she was getting this sudden boldness from but she was rolling with it. "I need to make sure all my motor and conversational skills are still in tact after all. For medical reasons, of course."

"Of course. After you." That was it. Piper couldn't avoid this feeling even if she wanted to. She knew she was agreeing to spending time with a complete stranger and there were many warnings going off in her head as to why she shouldn't be allowing this woman into her life, but Piper Chapman was not one to live without a little adventure. This woman radiated nothing but confidence and adventure and she was determined to get to know her better.

* * *

 **Let me know what you think! - MJ**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed and followed this story. Hopefully this new chapter lives up to expectations. It is a little longer than the previous one so that's a good start. (Sorry in advance for any spelling errors or mistakes as I wanted to post this up before the weekend). None of the characters belong to me all credit belongs to Jenji K. and Piper K. (the masterminds behind Orange).**

 **Guest: I do not have a Beta but if you guys feel like I need one for any reason please let me know! I only wish to improve and provide a good enough story.**

 **Thanks again. - MJ**

* * *

"So, not to scare you away or anything, but didn't your parents ever teach you not to talk to a stranger kid?" Piper couldn't help but laugh quietly at the other woman's question. Of course her parents were already making a presence into their conversation and they weren't even inside the coffee shop yet. Yes, Piper knew she shouldn't technically be talking to this perfect stranger but she felt an unexplainable force drawing her in, pushing her to get to know her better. The fact that she was tall and gorgeous was simply an added bonus for her.

"You'd be surprised at what my parents did and didn't teach me." She noticed the other woman's smirk growing and she couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment at having caused it.

Together they approached a corner coffee shop that Piper had never noticed before, which wasn't saying much as she had a habit of ignoring her surroundings focusing solely on herself. Walking in she noticed the place was small, smaller than your average coffee shop in New York. To one side of the shop were all the tables and chairs where customers could sit down and enjoy their drinks or get some work done, and to the other side was a wall of pictures she assumed were of all past patrons wanting to leave their mark in the shop. At the other end of the shop stood the coffee bar and registers where customers could order their favorite drink or select a pastry from the small variety offered. Piper would've been more than impressed with the small shop already but off to the side where all the tables lined up, she noticed a staircase and following it up to the second level her jaw fell wide open. The second level of this shop was surrounded with bookshelves upon bookshelves full with books of different shapes and sizes. Placed in-between the bookshelves were armchairs and sofas where one could go and relax while getting lost in one of the many books offered.

Piper was sure she had never seen anything like this. The whole place had a welcoming feel to it and she couldn't help the smile forming on her face knowing this would more than likely become her most frequented coffee shop from here on out.

She was effectively thrown out of her musings when she saw a flash of what looked like nothing but a mane of red hair rush past her and throw herself at her companion. "Vause! You made it ya tall sasquatch! I thought for sure I was going to have to send out a search party for you if you didn't show yourself soon!" Piper looked back and forth between her companion and her friend, confused until she was put out of it when the tall woman explained what was going on.

"This here is my best friend in the entire world, Nicolette Nichols." The other woman automatically glared at her which made her chuckle before continuing. "You can call her Nicky though as she prefers. She spends most of her time here when she's not working seeing as her mom, Red, owns the place. I was on my way here to see them when I ran into you. Literally."

"Oh nice to meet you Nicky, my name's Piper." She noticed the other woman smiling at her when she said this, realizing for the first time that they actually hadn't mentioned either of their names.

"What brings you here with Vause? Is this a business meeting?" Nicky looked towards her tall friend looking worried as though she had missed something. "You told me we weren't working today. That was today right?"

"Relax Nicky it was today, you didn't get your days mixed up." Piper laughed at the easy banter between the two. "I'm actually here to treat _Piper_ to a cup of coffee from one of New York's finest establishments."

"Flattery will only get you everywhere when Red's actually here to hear you Vause." Piper couldn't help but notice that her name coming out of Vause's mouth (she really needed to figure out if that was her actual name, last name or a nickname Nicky used for her) sounded damn near perfect. "Follow me lovebirds we'll get you two a cup of coffee and I'll be out of your hairs."

Both women followed Nicky to the front counter and although Vause had indirectly stated that she didn't work here, she merely spent her time here, Piper couldn't help but notice she was well acquainted with how the machines worked and she seemed to know what she was doing. She was moving around for a moment until she paused and turned around to talk to Piper. "Uh...so I know what tall and moody here likes but what can I get you Blondie?"

Chuckling lightly at the description of her companion she ordered herself a vanilla latte deciding to keep it simple for today making a mental note to peruse their menu at another time when she wasn't on a "sort of date." A few minutes later, Nicky had both their drinks set out on the counter and reaching into her wallet for bills to pay for the drinks she was stopped by Vause's hand on her wrist telling her not to worry that she was paying for the drinks and she wondered if the hot tingling sensation where their skin touched was felt by both of them or if she was simply imagining it. After finding a table next to the window looking into the alleyway next to the shop, Piper finally got the chance to ask the one question she should have asked before even agreeing to such a crazy thing as a date with a stranger.

"So, are you ever going to tell me your name or am I going to have to resort to short quirky descriptions like your friend over there?" The other woman laughed quietly and seemed to ponder the question looking Piper up and down before answering.

"Alex. My name's Alex. Vause, what Nicky insists on calling me, is my last name." _Alex._ Piper had met many Alex's in her life but none had ever fit the name more than the woman sitting across from her.

"Well Alex, when you mentioned grabbing coffee I assumed you'd be dragging me off to a nearby Starbucks, not to what seems to be one New York's best kept secrets. Seriously, this place is amazing."

"Isn't it? Whenever Nicky and I aren't working or being idiots we come here to hang out. The library upstairs is one of my favorite places to get lost in." Listening to Alex talk while drinking what could only be described as the best vanilla latte she ever had the pleasure of tasting made Piper feel warm all over. She was sure her cheeks would be hurting after she left from all the smiling she was doing.

Her smile faltered a little at the thought of leaving Alex, so instead she focused her attention on trying to get to know as much as possible about the other woman before having to.

"So…Alex what exactly is it that you do? Besides buy women who run into you some of the best coffee in New York?" Again, Piper had no idea how or why she was being so bold with the other woman but she figured it had something to do with Alex being so captivating and mysterious.

"I import for an international drug cartel." _Wait what._ She had no idea if she had heard her right and suddenly Piper felt like a deer caught in the headlights not knowing what to say. She probably looked like one too because next thing she heard was Alex laughing, no doubt at her shocked expression. But damn her if that laugh didn't make her whole body tingle with nerves and excitement. Piper was still at a loss on what to say so she did the only thing she could think of. She laughed right along with Alex hoping she had heard her wrong and her mind was only adding to the bad girl persona of who Alex was.

"Jesus kid! You look like I just took candy from a baby." Alex's laugh was quickly becoming one of Piper's favorite sounds in the world and she knew she was way in over her head. "Relax, I was only kidding. I am an importer but of boring old antiques and artwork. Nicky over there is my business partner but she mostly operates our showroom." Piper couldn't help the big sigh of relief that escaped her and Alex having noticed laughed at her reaction. She felt a bit childish at having thought for even a second that the international cartel lie might've been true.

"So you're not a criminal that's a relief." Piper laughed nervously, proving once again that she was not the one in control here but rather Alex held all the cards and if her confident persona was anything to go off of she was most definitely enjoying herself.

"It would make for an interesting story though wouldn't it?" Alex's smirk did nothing to keep Piper from wanting to reach across the table to grab the other woman's face and lock those inviting lips with hers. She was showing a lot of self-restraint, but where it was coming from though was an unanswered question. "What is it that you do, _Piper_?" The way she pronounced her name slowly was not lost on Piper.

"I run an artisanal bath soaps and products shop with my best friend." She said with all the pride she could muster.

"Ah, an in-charge and in-control business woman I see. I like that in a woman." Alex was flirting, that much was clear to her. She knew Alex had taken a liking to her and her to Alex, but Piper had never been one to actually go out, let alone date, another woman before. She knew she should stop this, thank Alex for the coffee, and be on her way before it went any further because after her doctor's visit she knew there was no realistic way Alex could or would stay involved in her life. She could potentially be a mother in as little as nine months for crying out loud! Motherhood definitely didn't seem like something Alex Vause would ever want to get involved with.

Maybe she was getting ahead of herself, thinking her and Alex would ever amount to anything other than strangers that ran into each other, but she knew what she was feeling was something that she hadn't experienced in her nearly thirty years and she was confident Alex felt it as well.

But even if she did, Piper couldn't lead her on. She shouldn't be sitting here with Alex, flirting back and forth with her, hoping this was in fact a date and that it amounted to something more. She should be on her way home to tell Polly all about her doctor's visit but she was seemingly glued to her chair and the cause of it was sitting across from her, giving her the most amazing smile Piper ever had the pleasure of seeing.

So, she said the first thing that came to mind. "So you like me huh? You don't even know me."

"No, but maybe you'll let me get to know you." Alex said without missing a beat. If at any point Piper thought she had the upper hand in the conversation she knew now that wasn't true. Alex was smart and quick with her responses and she had to stop and think, afraid of putting her foot in her mouth as she often does. Whatever doubts she was having about letting Alex in were slowly dissolving away and one look at the other woman's smile made what little resolve she had left fade away into nothing. Alex smirked and raised her eyebrows before continuing. "I like you Piper. I hardly know you yes, but I'd like to. In fact, how about we start right now?"

Piper knew for a fact she should be getting home and stepping away from Alex but she was completely drawn to her. It was like a magnetic pull between them drawing them closer with each spoken word and neither wanting to be the one to pull away. She knew she couldn't get involved. She needed to think of herself and the baby that could start growing within her. For once in her life, Piper Chapman had every excuse in the book to take the selfish way out and push Alex away before getting attached. She didn't need the attachment that came with a partner who could potentially leave her at the first sign of trouble. She didn't need to get involved with her, but oh how she wanted to.

* * *

Two hours and two cups of coffee later, Alex and Piper found themselves still sat inside of the small coffee shop but they had now moved upstairs to one of the few two-seat sofas hidden between the bookshelves away from curious minds. "So, a soap shop huh? How does an English major arrive to New York to start an _artisanal_ soap shop?"

The fact that they were sitting on a small sofa that left little room between them wasn't lost on Piper and she was having a hard time concentrating on anything besides the closeness of Alex's body to hers. They were both leaning on either side, but Piper wanted nothing more than to move over and relax her body onto that of the other woman's. The past two hours had found them talking about everything and anything and Piper had never found it so easy to talk to anyone before. Not even with Polly did words come out so easily and the back and forth banter felt so playful. Alex made her feel comfortable and the past couple hours she got to know the brunette on a more personal level. Sure all the things they discussed were surface level conversations but she didn't care. She knew Alex had a total of five tattoos, her favorite most cherished people in the world were Nicky and her mother, she grew up in Jersey, her favorite color was black (Piper spent a few good minutes arguing that black was not a color but a shade which earned her a smirk and an eye-roll from the taller woman), and her biggest fear was disappointing her mother.

The subject of their careers was the current topic of discussion and Piper couldn't help but swell with excitement whenever she talked about PoPi. "Well my friend Polly is really good at making these soaps and when she first showed me them I knew it was a product that people would pay money for and the first few we made and gave away ended up being really well liked. So I convinced her to package them and we started off at farmer's markets and then we made our way into Barney's for a while until we earned enough to quit our other jobs in favor of opening up our own shop and the business sort of grew from there." Alex's smile at her rambling and pride of her business only made her smile bigger and she couldn't help the blush forming on her cheeks. She knew she had spent the better part of the past two hours doing the most talking (or rambling) but Alex didn't seem to mind. She had pointed out that she enjoyed listening to the blonde talk as she got to experience the world from her point of view.

"You're really cute when you blush Piper Chapman." Alex had gotten a kick out of her last name when Piper told her what it was saying she had an incredibly WASPy family name. Whatever retort Piper had forming on the tip of her tongue was pushed back when she saw Alex getting closer and felt her hand cupping the side of her face.

Suddenly she felt all the air leave her body when she found herself face to face with Alex Vause and she was getting lost in those emerald eyes. Her eyes automatically focused on her lips and Piper couldn't for the life of her look away. She once again found herself in a trance because of the older woman and she was lost. She felt rather than saw Alex inching closer and by instinct Piper closed her eyes seconds before she felt what could only be described as the softest lips on earth on her own. It was the softest kiss she had ever experienced and yet she felt like a fire was set inside of her and spread throughout her entire body.

Every nerve ending in her body seemed to light up at the contact and she was powerless to stop it, not that she was trying very hard to.

She felt Alex's fingers clasp around her neck and her other hand travel down to her thigh as she gently pushed her lower onto the armrest of the sofa. Alex was practically laying on top of her as the kiss intensified and her hand was rubbing soft circles on her thigh while the other helped support her weight on the sofa next to Piper's head. Piper was in a daze and all she could feel was Alex's lips meeting hers in a feverish, rough kiss that only grew in hunger when her tongue was swiping at Piper's lower lip asking for entrance and Piper allowing it. Alex's tongue roughly stroked her own as both women were getting lost in each other seemingly forgetting that they were in a very public place and anyone could find them if they decided they needed a book from the non-fiction section of the library.

Piper had her arms around Alex's neck pulling her impossibly closer on top of her when suddenly they were pulled apart by a loud voice making itself known to the two.

"Hey Vause! Morello just called we're needed at the sho- HOLY SHIT!" If Nicky had felt an attraction between the two "strangers" before she definitely had her confirmation now as she stood in front of them and saw them practically sucking each other's faces off. She now had the perfect ammunition to tease Alex with and she was going to take full advantage of it. "Sorry ladies, am I interrupting something?" Nicky's face could not be anymore smug looking than it was at that very moment and Piper knew they were in for endless teasing.

"Fuck Nichols you couldn't have any worse timing could you." Alex's voice was huskier (and sexier) than usual after all the kissing and it did nothing to stop the heat gathering at her center and Piper had to force images of Alex in between her legs out of her mind before her face flushed even more.

"How was I supposed to know you two were getting it on in the middle of such a fine establishment? Be lucky it was me and not Red that found you two sucking faces." If Alex was feeling any bit embarrassed or upset at having been caught with Piper she wasn't showing it. She was smirking at her best friend and joking with her about it being no different at her being the one who found them and how she actually would've preferred Red finding them. Nicky responded by flipping Alex off and Piper could tell there was a strong friendship between the two that went beyond simply knowing each other for a few years.

She would've felt like an outsider in their conversation if it weren't for the fact that she wasn't focusing so much on what was being said because the moment both women had gotten off the couch after being caught, Alex had taken a hold of Piper's hand and refused to let it go. She was content with letting Alex banter back and forth with Nicky's teasing because of the simple fact that _the_ Alex Vause was holding her hand.

"Hey Blondie you look like you could use some more of Vause's mouth to mouth with that look on your face." Of course Nicky took notice of Piper staring at their locked hands with a faraway look on her but _why_ did she have to bring up an image of Alex's lips on hers again. All it did was made her face even more bright red than it already was.

Finally it seemed Alex was taking some mercy on her when she told Nicky to back off and brought her attention back to the reason she interrupted them in the first place.

"Oh right! As I was saying before I stepped into an episode of the L Word," Nicky smirked while Alex rolled her eyes and Piper could even more impossibly red in the face. "Morella called to tell us the bank was asking for the latest shipping statements so they could bring our account up to date and since you're the one who handles all the shipping she figured you would want to come in and deal with that yourself."

"Right. Call her back and let her know I'll be right over then." It surprised Piper how easily both women fell into business mode after spending the last few minutes bickering like little kids. "Tell her not to worry about coming into the office; I'll take care of it all." With that Nicky retreated back downstairs to give both women some time alone before they had to say goodbye, but not before she made Piper promise she would stop by more often as she had taken an instant liking to her.

"You fucking tickle me Kid so promise me you'll stop by more often." Were her exact words.

* * *

After getting over the initial awkwardness following Nicky's departure both woman burst into a fit of laughter over the ridiculousness at having been caught making out like horny teenagers.

"So Nicky seems to like you." Those were Alex's first set of words after the pair had calmed down enough. "Doesn't surprise me though, Nicky gets along with just about everyone."

"Yeah? What about you? Do you like me?" Piper was being surprisingly bold with her words again and she didn't know where it was coming from but she figured that after spending a few minutes kissing Alex Vause like her life depended on it, anyone could find the courage to be bold.

"I do." Alex on the other hand was being simple with her words.

"I do? Isn't it a little too early to be committing Ms. Vause." Piper was about to laugh at her own joke when she felt Alex's arms circle around her waist and her lips kissing her neck softly. What came out instead was a mix between a moan and a content sigh of relief.

"I want to see you again." It struck her how forward Alex was being, something that none of her past lovers had ever been, choosing instead to play the cat and mouse game with Piper. She liked the fact that Alex was being open with her, _and she definitely liked what Alex was doing to her neck with her lips_.

"Okay. When?" Piper had lost all ability to form coherent sentences instead getting straight to the point with short answers. Alex noticed this and she felt her chuckle against her neck before she pulled back to look her in the eyes for a few seconds.

"Give your phone number and I'll call you."

After exchanging phone numbers with the other woman and a fair share of more kisses both women parted ways with the promise of meeting up again, sooner rather than later. Piper had no idea when she woke up that day that she would be running into someone as captivating as Alex Vause and she knew without a doubt that pulling away was something that would prove itself to be too difficult. She was completely drawn to Alex and the idea of pulling away after spending the past couple of hours with her was unbearable.

She made her way home, turning at the last second to head over to Polly's instead, knowing she had a lot to fill her best friend in on.

* * *

 **Again, sorry for any spelling errors or mistakes. Thanks for the support and let me know what you guys think of this new chapter.**

 **Happy Fourth if you're in the USA! Enjoy your weekend everyone. - MJ**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello again! Here's the following chapter to this story and I have to say it feels like it's going to be a slow burn...I have an outline all set out for this but I definitely want to stretch it out as much as possible without boring you guys halfway through. Let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions on what I could include to this story. - MJ**

* * *

Three days. That's how long it's been since Piper has heard from Alex. She knew she was getting ahead of herself thinking she and Alex could ever amount to anything other than strangers but she couldn't shake the feeling that they were meant to be more than that. They had connected instantly and got along as if they had known each other for years. Piper wasn't imagining all the feelings that came with every look and every touch and she definitely wasn't imaging every kiss either.

Piper was no stranger to kissing, she had her fair share of ex-lovers and a few college encounters she could remember, but kissing Alex Vause was like nothing she had experienced before. She could still feel the softness of her lips on hers and the urgency that followed once they both realized how amazing it felt to be kissing each other. Kissing Alex Vause was like coming up for fresh air after having held her breath underwater for the longest time. It wasn't only that Alex was a great kisser, _she was amazing_ , but it helped that she held Piper close each time as if she was afraid to let her go. That's why Piper was so convinced that there had been something between them and that she wasn't just making it up. She had been so happy and on cloud nine after having spent hours with Alex that when she showed up on Polly's door step her best friend could tell right away that something big had happened.

* * *

" _You're looking weirder than usual and that's saying something." After having left Alex's company Piper had made her way over to Polly's apartment and had the biggest smile on her face when her friend opened the door. That smile hadn't left her face since the moment she ran into Alex, and Piper was enjoying every second of it._

" _Hello to you too Polly." Piper said as she walked through the threshold and into the living room of the apartment. She looked around looking for her godson until she noticed her friend standing across from her with her arms crossed and a smirk on her face._

" _They're not here. Pete took Finn to his parent's house for some bonding time and we both know if I can avoid the in-laws as much as possible, I will." Piper laughed at this knowing for a fact that Polly had an interesting history with Pete's parents, choosing to avoid their company if at all possible._

" _Maybe you're relationship with the in-laws would be better if they hadn't found you in their bedroom in a very compromising position with their son." Polly looked at Piper and waved her hand in the air as if to say details weren't important and Piper laughed at her best friend once again._

" _Anyways," stretching the word out, Piper couldn't help but smirk at her best friend knowing she wanted the current topic of conversation changed to something else. "What's with the smile? I thought we wouldn't be finding out if you were pregnant until weeks later. It's only been a few hours." Polly looked at Piper like she was trying to figure out what exactly had her friend looking like she was in the clouds. "Wait! Don't tell me you finally sucked it up and asked out your doctor? That's it isn't it? You so obviously had a crush on her! Come on Pipes give me all the details."_

" _Polly shut up for a minute will you! That's not it at all." Piper couldn't contain her eye-roll at this point and she knew that if she didn't stop Polly from her rambling she would never hear the end of it. "Yes, my doctor is very attractive but I did not have a crush on her." Polly of course gave her a look that said she wasn't buying it for a second. "I did not!"_

" _Mhm. Whatever you say Piper. But if it wasn't your doctor, which you_ do not _have a crush on, then what has you so smiley today?"_

" _I met someone." Piper looked at Polly for a few seconds waiting for her best friend's reaction, expecting a blow-up or a million and one questions being fired her way but when nothing came out she was getting a little nervous. "She's really amazing and I've only known her for a couple of hours but I swear I've never felt this connected to someone before and not to mention she's really sexy Polly. She kept me on my toes and it's like I met my other intellectual half. It's just…I never…she…she's perfect."_

 _Piper didn't know what she was expecting from Polly. Whether or not she approved of this new relationship in Piper's life was the last thing on her mind. She already had Polly's support on so many other things and she knew her best-friend wasn't the most understanding of people, but Piper had to tell someone. Telling someone made Alex and their encounter more real. Telling someone meant voicing all her worries and admitting the truth; she was getting attached too quickly to someone who wasn't her future child._

 _Just thinking of the baby that could be growing inside of her brought a hand to her stomach instinctively, an action that didn't go unnoticed by her friend._

" _What about the baby Piper? Is it really a good time to be getting involved with someone when you could potentially be a mother in nine months time? I know I was joking about your doctor but that was just to tease you. I never thought you would actually be focused on dating anyone right now." Polly always had a way of making Piper see the reality of things and she did it again this time. Whatever excitement she felt about Alex was quickly thrown out the window when her best friend brought up the baby. She knew this was something she wanted without a doubt. She was meant to be a mother and nothing, not even a lost opportunity with Alex, was going to make her regret her decision._

 _She looked at her best friend who looked very sympathetic of her current situation but she knew Polly wasn't going to encourage her to seek out Alex once again; instead she would encourage her to focus on the baby and move forward._

* * *

For the past three days Piper had put all thoughts of Alex, and what could have been their great story, behind her and chose instead to focus on staying healthy and reading over baby material preparing herself in case she did end up pregnant. She had been doing well until today when she walked past the very same coffee shop Alex had taken her to when they met.

At first she didn't recognize it but doing a double take and actually getting a glimpse of the inside she knew it was the very same shop. She stood on the sidewalk debating whether or not to step in and risk the chance of running into Alex, or even Nicky, but thought better of it choosing instead to keep walking and pretend she never saw it.

Every step taken away from the shop felt like dead weight but she knew it was best for her and her future child. She could learn to exist without the knowledge that Alex was a real person and someone she shared a heavy connection to. She spent thirty years on this earth living without her or the knowledge of her existence, and she would learn to live like that again. Piper was determined to move forward and pretend that Alex Vause was someone who didn't bulldoze into her life and turned all her thoughts on love upside down.

 _Wait a minute!_ No way did she think what she felt for Alex was love. That just wasn't possible.

She had never been in love with another person before, and she sure didn't love Alex like that. She barely even knew the woman. Love was a crazy notion and Piper wasn't about to get involved in it. She loved Polly and Finn. She loved Pete for being Polly's other half. Heck, she even loved her parents and brothers in her own way. She did not love Alex Vause!

It's not like Alex was turning New York City over looking for her anyways. The past three days were only manageable because the older woman had made no effort as well to get in touch with Piper. Three days had passed since Alex said she would call her and it had been three days since Piper heard anything of her. It was almost as if Piper was only a temporary distraction to the other woman and as soon as they had walked away from one another Piper stopped existing to Alex.

Well, two could play at that game.

* * *

Piper had finally made it home after a long day out shopping for the bare necessities needed to keep herself healthy and her body comfortable and she was exhausted. She was definitely looking forward to a long hot bath and a quiet dinner to end the night. She walked to her room intent on getting herself ready for her bath when she noticed her phone on her nightstand. She had left that morning in a rush ultimately forgetting her phone at home. She was usually the type of person who couldn't part with her phone but for the past few days she made an effort to leave it aside afraid that if she carried it around too often the urge to call Alex herself would become too much.

Picking it up now and checking her notifications she saw that she had two messages and a missed call from Polly, probably wanting to talk about something having to do with PoPi, and another missed call from an unknown number. Piper typed in the pin for her voicemail account, put the phone on speaker, and walked to the bathroom waiting to see if the unknown number had left a message. After waiting on dead air for a few seconds, Piper was about to delete the silent voicemail when she heard the unmistakable husky voice of Alex.

"Uh…hey kid, it's me. Alex. Sorry for not getting in touch with you sooner, things have been a little hectic at work." A pause. "I haven't stopped thinking of you though." She could hear Alex's soft chuckle no doubt surprising even herself with that confession. "I can't believe I just said that." Piper couldn't believe it either. "Anyways, sorry I missed you but call me back or send me a text. I really want to see you again. You have my number. Bye."

Just like that Alex had rushed back into Piper's life.

She replayed the message two more times just to hear Alex's voice and Piper couldn't stop smiling like an idiot. She was debating whether or not to call her back, although who was she fooling; she knew she would call her back. The only question was _when_. She decided to take her hot bath, choosing to mull it over while her body relaxed. She didn't want to make any quick decisions, knowing that her choices weren't going to be affecting her only anymore.

Piper had no idea if she was going to end up pregnant, or if she wasn't already. She knew for a fact that she one-hundred percent wanted to be and that meant her first priority should always be her baby. She knew that getting involved with Alex meant letting her in on her plan to become a mother, and although she had no illusions about her wanting to stick around after she did, Piper couldn't help but hope that their connection wasn't something small or insignificant. The few hours she got to spend with Alex were the most incredible and fulfilling hours of her life. It was too early to label her feelings towards the tall brunette, but Piper knew she could easily find herself falling in love. A realization like that would have had her running for the hills in her younger years. Piper was a master at avoiding confronting her own emotions, but as she grew up she learned that the "Chapman way" was nothing but self-destructive.

She had always dreamed of finding someone to fall in love with, much like her best friend had done with Pete, but her closest experience to that was with a man named Larry who offered her nothing but a routine life with very little excitement. Her parents, especially her mother, had praised her to no end on finding someone like Larry but the more time she spent with him the more she realized that she was settling for a life that wasn't meant for her. She didn't want to become the housewife who had her day all mapped out from beginning to end and waited on their husband to come home from the office to a dinner all set and ready. She wanted adventure and sparks. She had hoped that the more they progressed into their relationship; she and Larry would become a couple in-sync with another who would push each other to become better people. In the end, all she got was a struggling writer of a boyfriend who didn't seem to catch on to the fact that Piper felt like she was stuck in a rut. To Larry everything was sunshine and rainbows, a fact she became hyper aware of the moment she found an engagement ring hidden in his suitcase, days before they were set to join her parents on an upcoming ski trip. Needless to say, Piper had cancelled the trip for the both of them and abruptly ended their relationship leaving a very speechless, and no doubt very hurt, Larry behind. She wasn't proud of the way she had left things with him but she knew she had to get out of that relationship for both their sakes.

Looking back on it now and how she felt with Alex after just a few short hours she knew she had to at least give them a shot. She knew the moment she told Alex the truth that she may not stick around any longer, but until then Piper wanted to know what it felt like to be missed and adored by Alex Vause. So, with that thought in mind she picked up her phone and sent out a simple text, hoping the brunette wasn't too busy.

 **To: Alex**

 **Hey. I can't stop thinking of you either.**

She figured she would put herself out there much like Alex had done to show her she wasn't the only one getting flustered because of their connection. Alex had been very forward with her that day in the coffee shop, something Larry had never been, and Piper enjoyed it immensely. She liked not having to second guess another person's thoughts. It didn't surprise her that she was comparing Alex to Larry. In her mind, there was no comparison between the two. They were both so different from one another and she knew without a doubt Larry would lose out every single time. She didn't know Alex as well as she did Larry, but the more she found out about the brunette the more she left Larry in the dust. Until now, Piper had never really questioned how on earth she was able to last so long with Larry, when after just a few hours spent in Alex's company she knew she would never settle again.

She was jolted out of her thoughts when she received a reply from Alex. Choosing to dry off and get into her pajamas before opening the message and replying, Piper knew she was stalling for more time before she faced the reality that was her feelings for Alex. Finally knowing she couldn't put it off any longer and choosing to move forward with her choice to open up to Alex and let her in, she opened the text to see what the brunette replied with.

 **To: Piper**

 **I can't stress enough how much I want to see you again.**

 **These past few days have felt like torture.**

Piper didn't know what she was expecting to hear from Alex but it certainly wasn't that. She was expecting a witty reply or a sarcastic comment but she definitely wasn't expecting Alex to feel _tortured_ over the fact that they hadn't seen each other again. Excitement welled up inside of her knowing that someone like Alex had found their way into her life.

 **To: Alex**

 **That's quite the bold statement Ms. Vause.**

 **Are you sure you're ready to deal with the repercussions?**

Piper ignored the slight flutter that danced through her stomach while waiting for Alex's response, instead opting to distract herself by looking through other mindless apps on her phone.

 **To: Piper**

 **Ew. Don't ever call me Ms. Vause again if you know what's good for you kid.**

 **But I am ready for whatever you throw my way.**

If only she knew how much meaning those few words could hold. She tapped her thumb against the side of the phone absentmindedly while she thought over what she would respond with. It turned out she didn't need to reply with anything because the brunette had already sent her another message.

 **To: Piper**

 **Go out with me.**

Piper was done over-thinking anything that involved Alex Vause.

 **To: Alex**

 **When?**

Short and simple.

 **To: Piper**

 **Tomorrow night. There's a place nearby I want to show you.**

Her responses were immediate now, Alex having caught her full attention.

 **To: Alex**

 **I'm looking forward to it.**

They made plans to meet up the following day at the coffee shop and she had expected their conversation to end right then and there for the night, but once again Alex proved why she should never expect the expected.

 **To: Piper**

 **I look forward to kissing you again.**

Even when she wasn't around, Alex managed to make Piper blush like crazy. She would be lying to herself if she said she hadn't thought about getting to kiss the brunette again. She enjoyed the feel of their lips together and the way the simplest of kisses could light a fire inside of her. She would kiss Alex over and over again and never get tired of it and it made her smile knowing the older woman thought of kissing her too. Still, Piper felt like teasing Alex a bit hoping to get her to open up some more. She liked that Alex wasn't afraid to say how she felt about the blonde and if she could push her to admit more and be more honest, then Piper definitely would.

 **To: Alex**

 **You're feeling awfully confident that I'll let you.**

Of course she definitely would, was there ever a question to that.

 **To: Piper**

 **I remember not being the only one who enjoyed what happened at Red's Café.**

Oh, Piper definitely enjoyed those kisses. It wasn't just the kisses in fact, she liked the way she felt in Alex's arms and the way the taller woman made her feel protected and wanted.

 **To: Alex**

 **I've never felt anything close to what I did with your kisses.**

If Alex was going to be honest and open then so was she. After coming to the decision about including Alex into her life Piper knew she should be as honest as possible with her before everything went to hell. She knew as soon as she came clean about her _maybe_ being pregnant, Alex would surely throw all her words back at her so she didn't want to give her any reason to believe she had lied about anything else. She was going to be honest about her feelings even if it had her blushing and nervously awaiting a reply.

 **To: Piper**

 **Maybe you just haven't found the right person to kiss.**

No, maybe she hadn't before but Alex felt like that person a hundred times over. She was the exact opposite of what she was used to with Larry and something inside of her had her believing that Alex was the one for her. Yeah, maybe she was getting ahead of herself but Alex was different. She was exciting and warm. She was adventures with a calming presence. She was downright sexy but still had a timeless beauty to her. She was….Alex. She would never be able to find all the right words needed to describe the brunette or her feelings towards her but Piper wouldn't hesitate to try. She was excited to try a lot of new things with Alex, and she wasn't afraid to start by admitting the big truth that maybe Alex was it for her. Larry never stood a chance, but she had a strong feeling that Alex had the biggest chance.

 **To: Alex**

 **I think I have now.**

* * *

 **Thank you guys so much for following this story and reviewing!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! I know it's been too long between updates but unfortunately life got in the way. I won't bore you with details but hopefully from here on out updates are more frequent. Again, thank you for all the reviews/follows/favorites this story has gotten. There are so many places I want to take this story but only time will tell what comes out if it. I refused to accept the disappointment that was Season 3 as canon so this AU was, in part, my coping mechanism haha.**

 **If I owned OITNB at all, Vauseman would be left alone and their only story-lines would involve them interacting with other inmates, preferably of the non walking-plot-device type.**

 **Anyways, enjoy.**

* * *

The following morning after her phone call with Alex, Piper was up early not having slept well because she was too excited about getting to see the tall brunette again in just a few hours. She debated on whether or not to call Polly and tell her all about the upcoming date but she figured she would leave it until after, not wanting to jinx anything for herself. She felt like a teenager again getting excited about her date and wanting to pick out the perfect outfit making sure she was presentable but Alex was on a whole different playing field than her high school dates so she felt out of her league.

They had agreed that Alex would pick her up right outside of her apartment complex exactly at seven that night as she didn't want Piper going out alone to meet her at the coffee shop like they had originally planned for. As much as Piper tried to get it out of her date, she was still clueless about what the night actually had in store for the both of them. She knew that she could expect almost anything from Alex but she hoped it didn't involve them going out for a night of drinking or partying since that would be the exact opposite of caring for her and the baby. She figured that if it did come down to that she could always make up an excuse about her friend being in the hospital or being too sick to go out drinking, but hopefully she wouldn't have to as she didn't want to look like a loser to Alex or make it seem like she was trying to get out of their date.

All day Piper tried her best to distract herself but she couldn't help herself from looking at the time every ten minutes or so, willing it to go by faster so she could be in the company of the beautiful woman who was without a doubt capturing her heart. At a quarter to five, Piper was getting too restless and couldn't distract herself any longer so she decided to hop in the shower and get herself started on her beauty routine. She usually spent her time in the bath relaxing with a bottle of wine when she could but tonight she was too damn nervous to enjoy a warm bath and no way was she going anywhere near a bottle of wine with her current situation being the way it was. Instead she rushed through her shower and was currently standing in front of her overflowing closet trying to decide the best option for an outfit. Since Alex hadn't told her anything about the date she didn't know what would be appropriate or not. She was going over different options and weighing the pros and cons when she heard her phone go off indicating a new message.

She walked over to where she had left it charging on her nightstand and opened it up to see she had a new message from none other than Alex and she instinctively smiled while reading the simple text.

 **To: Piper**

 **Dress casually, nothing fancy.**

It was as if she was reading her mind. That, or she had a camera that showed her exactly how indecisive Piper was being standing in front of her closet trying, and failing miserably, to find an outfit. This was the first bit of information Alex was offering her and she immediately responded with another attempt at trying to figure out what lay in store for her, knowing her attempts would go unanswered as the brunette was making it her mission to surprise Piper and keep her on her toes all night it seemed. Normally she would argue how she didn't like surprises and how she didn't like being kept out of the loop, but once again she found herself changing tunes with Alex and she didn't mind it one bit. She would've preferred to have some insight on what was going on but she knew this was all part of who Alex was.

 **To: Alex**

 **Still not telling me where we're going?**

At this point she didn't care so much about finding out what was in store because she had a feeling her night with Alex would more than likely live up to all her expectations.

 **To: Piper**

 **Nope. I'll pick you up in an hour.**

 _Crap_. She had spent more time than she realized looking through her closet and now she was down to the wire with time. At least Alex's message helped her figure out her outfit a lot quicker this time and she decided to stick with her favorite pair of black skinny jeans and her long sleeved grey button-up. She figured this was as casual as it was going to get for her in regards to her outfit so she set about working on her hair and make-up. Forty-five minutes later and she was cutting it close to the time Alex was supposed to pick her up feeling grateful for having decided to get started earlier than usual on her beauty routine. She spent the last few minutes of her time putting on some finishing touches and making sure everything in her apartment was turned off or secured away before making her way out and down to the lobby of her building where she would wait for Alex to arrive.

Stepping out of the elevator she realized there would be no waiting required as the woman who controlled her every waking thought today was standing by the front desk engaged in what appeared to be a deep conversation with the man behind the desk. She couldn't help but notice the way Alex's jeans clung deliciously to her legs and the way her shirt exposed the barest of skin as she leaned over the desk making wild hand signals to the man in an effort to help get her point across. As she approached them Piper could make out bits and pieces of the conversation.

"Yes Chapman. C-H-A-P….P, not T…" Piper couldn't help but laugh at the brunette's attempt to find out which apartment was hers, no doubt wanting to surprise her even further tonight.

"Well you're here early." Alex spun around quickly, her smile growing at the sight of Piper standing in front of her and ready for their date. She turned around to the man behind the counter giving a fleeting thanks before stepping towards Piper and standing only inches from her. Both women looked each other up and down, silently thanking a god neither believed in for their luck in having found one another.

"Hey." Alex was the first to break their silent staring contest and Piper was already at a loss for words at hearing her voice in person once again. It was a voice dripping with pure sex and she knew she wouldn't mind hearing it for the rest of her life.

"Hi." Piper mentally cursed herself at her lack of words and how quickly Alex managed to make her feel flustered and out of her league. She hoped her brain would cooperate somewhat better as the night progressed or else Alex would think she was too shy of a person and she would grow bored of her company.

"You're cute when you're flustered." _Damn her and that smirk._

"I'm not flustered!" Alex's smirk only grew impossibly bigger at her little outburst and Piper felt her cheeks flush before muttering, "You make me nervous is all."

"A good kind of nervous I hope." If Piper had any sort of response to that it was cut off by Alex reaching out and tucking a stray lock of blonde hair behind her ear. Her hand was warm against her cheek and Piper couldn't help but lean towards it and when she did a soft smile appeared on Alex's face and it was the kind of smile Piper knew she would end up falling in love with.

"Come on, let's go. Dinner waits." She had momentarily forgotten the reason behind their night together and only when she felt Alex reach out for her hand and hold it tight while leading her towards the exit did she remember this was their date. She smiled at the fact that she was on a date with Alex and while she had no idea what the night would consist of, she was giddy with excitement. Alex had a cab waiting for them just outside the building and as she listened to Alex give the driver an address her mind couldn't process what awaited them upon arrival. Even if she did know the address she doubts she would've been able to concentrate on anything other than the fact they were sitting in close proximity, in a cab, and Alex had yet to let go of her hand. In fact, had Piper bothered to look elsewhere but at their intertwined hands she would have noticed Alex looking at her with a look of pure contempt and smiling at the blonde.

A few minutes later, after a relatively quite cab ride, they arrived at their destination and what stood before them was not what Piper had been expecting at all. She was surprised to find that they were stood in front of one of New York's many luxury apartment complexes and Piper was confused as to why they were there after the brunette had mentioned she wanted to take Piper somewhere special. Unless that special place was inside of the tall building, Piper had no idea what was going on. They made their way inside the building, Alex once again taking hold of her hand after paying the cab driver, and although Piper was used to luxury buildings having been raised by the Chapman's, she couldn't help but marvel at the buildings beauty and wonder whether or not Alex lived in such a place.

Walking in the first thing Piper noticed was the lack of extravagant lighting that accompanied most luxury apartments. The whole lobby was shrouded in dark colors illuminated with ceiling lights spread in rows throughout and somehow it still made her feel welcome and warm. Stepping in to her left was a carpeted lobby area furnished with leather sofas and loveseats for residents to sit and relax in front of what Piper knew to be the biggest fireplace she had ever seen. Thankfully it was enclosed in a glass case preventing anyone stupid enough to approach it and risk burning themselves in the process and that alone added to the elegance of the building. Placed at the very end of the seating area was a bar stocked full of what Piper assumed to be one of any kind of alcohol the building's residents could find themselves wanting throughout the day. If that wasn't enough to lure any potential residents into the building than the friendly staff that seemed energetic and attentive without being overbearing was sure to seal the deal for anyone. The whole place, with its low lighting and strong presence screamed comfort and luxury ideal for those who wanted to stick out and were confident enough to carry themselves without an ounce of worry over trivial matters. Basically, this whole place screamed Alex and Piper knew it was the perfect place for the brunette to call home.

As they made their way onto the elevators Piper realized she still didn't know what they were doing here in the first place, but as she followed Alex she knew the brunette definitely had a destination in mind and she was excited to find out. She knew this night could turn out a number of different ways but she hoped the outcome was the more positive one where they could potentially refuse to leave each other's side. She was too busy daydreaming of spending the night with Alex and what that might look like that she didn't realize the brunette had pushed her against the wall of the elevator and only when she felt soft lips on her neck did she snap out of it. She couldn't even form the words needed to ask Alex what the hell she was doing so instead she settled for lifting her own hands up to grab hold of Alex's face to pull her lips up to meet hers and the kiss that followed was fireworks for the both of them. Kissing Alex Vause was something she would never get tired of doing and if it weren't for the elevator doors opening and the ding alerting them of reaching their designated floor she had no doubt that the kiss would've grown with passion and she would've found it even harder to step away from Alex. Instead, she settled for another quick peck of their lips and she allowed herself to be pulled out into the hallway to stand in front of the only door on the entire floor. It took her a few moments to figure out that they were stepping into what was no doubt the penthouse apartment of the building and if she was impressed by the lobby downstairs she was now frozen to her spot, mouth hanging wide open. Only when she heard Alex's soft chuckle did she snap out of it and said the only thing her brain could come up with.

"What is this?" It probably wasn't her brightest moment while in Alex's company, and she had plenty of those to choose from it seemed.

"This…is home sweet home." She took a step closer to Piper before she continued. "I was going to take you somewhere special but I figured I would treat you to a home cooked meal first to judge if you were crazy or not before I gave away all my secrets." She seemed to think it over in her mind because she suddenly seemed to get nervous standing in front of Piper. "We can go out to a nearby restaurant if you're not comfortable. I just figured we could avoid the crowds and noise that accompanies most first dates… but yeah like I said if you're not comfortable…" The rest of her sentence died on her lips when Piper closed the distance between them with a soft kiss and she squeezed Alex's hand reassuring her.

"This is perfect." As soon as the words left her mouth Alex's body language relaxed and she was more at ease with the idea of them spending tonight in her home. She led Piper towards the kitchen and went to pour them both a glass of wine, Piper rejected hers opting for a glass of water instead, before letting her know it would only be a few more minutes before their food would be ready as she had most of it done before she went out to pick up Piper. While they waited she gave Piper a quick tour of her apartment and she got to learn more about the brunette by eyeing small details spread throughout the apartment. She saw many pictures of her and who she assumed was her mom, and there were just as many pictures with Nicky in them as well. There was one picture seemingly hidden from view behind a few others of Alex with a tall blonde but before she could ask about it or contemplate it any longer they had already moved on to another room in the apartment and Piper made a mental note to ask Alex about it at a later time.

After their quick tour they made their way back into the kitchen and she decided to hop onto the island counter while she watched Alex work her way around preparing their dinner. A few times she offered to help her out but Alex would only look at her with a smirk and remind her that this date was for her and she wasn't allowed to lift a finger. Piper was content with just sitting by and watching Alex. The brunette was graceful and she walked with purpose, quite the opposite of Piper as she was a complete klutz even in the safe confines of her own apartment. She was mesmerized by Alex and the confidence she radiated, wondering how one person had the ability to carry themselves with so much confidence when she herself lacked so much of it.

When their dinner was finally ready and on the table Alex made her way over to Piper who was still sitting on the counter and placed her hands on her waist and told her dinner was set. Piper rested her hands on Alex's shoulders and kissed her lightly thanking her for all the effort she had put into this night already.

"You're worth it Pipes." At hearing the way her nickname slipped from her lips so easily Piper couldn't contain her big grin even if she tried, and around Alex she definitely wasn't trying. She jumped off the counter and followed her to the dining room allowing her to pull her seat out for her before sitting opposite of her. Alex had really put in the effort for tonight's dinner having cooked chicken picatta (without the wine, Piper was sure to ask) that smelled delicious without being too overpowering.

"Al, this is amazing." Had she been paying closer attention to anything besides her food she would've noticed Alex smirk at the sounds of pleasure she made but as it was she was indulging happily on her pan-fried chicken breasts that she just didn't care. Alex had proved to be an amazing cook and if she hadn't been there to watch her finish off the recipe she wouldn't have believed this was all done by her.

"Thanks. It's my mom's recipe so all the praise belongs to her. She taught me all I know." Piper didn't even have to look up to know Alex was beaming with pride at the mention of her mother because she could hear it in her voice.

All throughout dinner both women kept the conversation flowing easily between them and at some point between all the talking and eating their hands had found each other's on top of the table and they refused to let go. There was no denying that Piper was beyond content in Alex's company and it helped that the brunette made it so easy to open up and be herself without judgment. She learned a lot more about her as she started opening up to Piper halfway into their dinner and she made sure she let Alex know she held no judgment either. Their conversation didn't involve any heavy stuff as of yet but it was nice to know that they could use each other as a safety net to listen and understand. From the little they did share Piper knew they came from two different backgrounds but surprisingly neither woman held it against the other, knowing it didn't matter now that they had both made a strong living for themselves despite their background and family. She learned that Alex worked her butt off in school so she could provide her mother with a more comfortable living and although she strayed from her path for a few years she made sure she made it up to her and now she lived every day with the notion of never again wanting to disappoint her mother. Piper wanted Alex to explain further what she meant by straying from her path but Alex simply gave her the softest of smiles that held so many unspoken words and promised to reveal the details of it at a future time. Piper accepted the promise knowing Alex probably wanted to make sure she could trust her completely and although she was the least impatient person she knew, Piper could make herself wait.

* * *

Alex wasn't the only one to open up that night, as Piper made a conscious effort to give as much as she received, something she hardly did with someone she had just met a few days prior. Like Alex she made sure she didn't dive into any of the heavy stuff of her past, not that there was anything besides wanting love and acceptance from her parents and never receiving it. Piper had grown up wanting to feel loved by the two people who were supposed to love her without question, but instead she grew up feeling like their love had to be earned through achievements and awards that meant very little to her. It surprised her how she could grow up in that type of environment and come out of it wanting a child of her own to raise and love when most people would either run for the hills or swear off of love for the rest of their lives. She knew that for a long time she had done both, avoiding any sense of confrontation when it came to her feelings, but ever since her breakup with Larry, Piper started to see the world in a new way. She saw how much love was out there to be given and received and sometimes the strongest of love came from those who weren't your family. So sitting here across from Alex, Piper found herself realizing that this woman who had barged into her life, and who now refused to let go of her hand, was someone who would no doubt teach her more about love than she could ever hope to understand.

She needed all the lessons on love she could get before her baby was potentially born, and if that meant falling in love with Alex for a few weeks and losing her to heartache and the denial of wanting to raise a child that wasn't hers, then Piper was going in head-first. She knew her baby would always come first in her life now but if she could afford herself a short time to know what love was supposed to feel like then for once in her life Piper Chapman was not afraid.

* * *

After dinner, and the slight revelation she had to herself in her head, Piper helped Alex clean up the table and they both helped to wash the dishes. She was surprised to learn that Alex wasn't afraid of doing household chores even with all the luxury she was surrounded with. They laughed and joked over the differences they had growing up while they tried their best to resist the childish need to splash each other with the soapy water. Eventually after the last dish was dried and the kitchen was once again back to its spotless self, both women made their way over the living room where Alex once again offered her a glass of wine but she declined politely and they both settled into the couch, Piper tucked safely in Alex's arms. They sat there in each other's arms talking quietly as if any loud noise would break the safety and comfort they had created with one another without any real trouble.

All of a sudden, Alex pulled them both off the couch and Piper was surprised by the sudden movement but she was definitely looking forward to whatever the brunette had in mind. She found herself questioning very little whatever Alex had in mind for them lately but the brunette had yet to give her a reason not to trust her so Piper didn't linger on that thought for too long. She was curious however when Alex opened the sliding door that lead outside to her balcony overlooking the city and walked them over to the half size pool that sat cozily off to the side. She looked at Alex with questioning eyes but before the words could leave her mouth as to what they were doing, the beautiful brunette in front of her was already lifting up her shirt leaving Piper frozen to her spot and speechless. All she could do was stare hungrily at the woman before her as she revealed her delicious body to Piper while remaining oblivious to what she was doing to the blonde.

"Like what you see Piper Chapman?" the brunette asked with a teasing smirk.

Okay so maybe she _wasn't_ so oblivious to the effect she had on Piper. She knew exactly what she was doing and clearly enjoying every second of it.

"I figured we could enjoy the nighttime air for a bit. After all, I don't want you falling asleep so early into our date."

"I don't even have a bathing suit Alex." The blonde replied once she reigned in her hormones and got her brain working long enough to form words. She saw Alex's smirk grow even bigger and she knew she had set the brunette up for a teasing remark.

"We don't need clothes." _She knew it._ What other answer could she possibly have expected from Alex? "I figured it was something sexy we could do for our first date you know, unless of course you're too shy." She said this while proceeding to unzip her jeans and pull them down her long legs and if Piper thought her brain had shut down before, now she just stood there transfixed, no doubt blatantly staring, for who knows how long.

She was able to tear her eyes away from Alex's toned legs long enough to stare into her eyes and she saw nothing but excitement and mischief reflected back at her and it was enough to snap her out it and return the brunette's banter.

"Who said anything about being shy?" Not her wittiest reply but she said this while unbuttoning her long sleeve and slowly revealing her torso to Alex and she couldn't help her smug expression when she took note of the way her expression changed from one of mischief to that of excitement and wonder. She had the same effect on her that she found herself under not even five minutes ago. The look she was receiving from the brunette was both encouraging and overpowering. Just one simple look and she could feel how wanted she felt by the brunette, something that Larry could never accomplish without making her feel like a piece of meat.

Alex was staring at her like no one before had ever looked at her and Piper knew it would be harder to separate herself from the brunette if and when the time ever presented itself. She never felt like the most beautiful person in the room growing up, even though she knew other women would kill for her figure, but Piper still felt inferior. Her looks alone helped her out in varying situations growing up and although she never was on the receiving end of bullying based on appearances, Piper spent the majority of her life feeling like she wasn't enough. She was told plenty of times how beautiful she was and it was never a sentence she didn't hear often, however it was usually followed with a remark on her current relationship status or how her boyfriend must be the luckiest guy on the planet. She was always made to feel like her looks only mattered if she had a guy attached to the hip, as if her looks were only important if she had a man to appreciate them. Her beauty alone was only to please her man.

Standing in front of Alex however she was awakened to the reality of being wanted so passionately because someone had taken the opportunity to get to know you first and love the idea of you as a person before that of your body. Alex had looked at her like she was the greatest mystery she wanted to unfold from the very beginning and Piper had never before felt so drawn to someone.

As soon as both of them were in nothing but their underwear Alex took hold of Piper's hand and led them both to the edge of the pool and with one last look shared between the two they both jumped into the pool smiling and laughing like two teenagers in love. The whole time they held onto each other's hand until they broke the surface and pulled one another closer and shared a simple kiss that held so much promise for the future. Piper could feel Alex's smile throughout their kiss and it made Piper feel on top of the world knowing she was the reason behind the brunette's happiness and in that moment nothing else mattered around them. It was just Piper and Alex content in each other's arms being each other's reason to stay and allow their emotions to control their actions.

They were simply two people falling in love and powerless to stop it even if they tried.

* * *

 **Thanks again. Until next time. - MJ**


End file.
